Malaysia

So far we’re loving Borneo.

Borneo is the world’s third largest island, after Greenland and New Guinea. Most of the island is in Indonesia, about a third is Malaysia, and a small sliver of the island is Brunei. We weren’t at all sure what to expect from the culture, the landscape, or the weather.

It hasn’t taken us long to think this might be grand. We arrived in Kuching yesterday afternoon after flying from Langkawi. It’s a medium-sized city – about 325,000 people – but is the largest city in Malaysian Borneo and the capital of the state of Sarawak. And after a few weeks on peninsular Malaysia with more Islamic presence than I’d expected (burkas, lack of alcohol at most restaurants) Kuching seems delightfully more cosmopolitan.

We went walking in the early evening and quickly discovered a city spruced up for Valentine’s Day (how do our worst “holidays” get exported to places like Borneo?), a lovely river walk, fun architecture, some nice-looking bars and restaurants – bars that open right onto the sidewalk!! – and cat sculptures.

Cat sculptures you ask? It turns out Kuching is the Malay word for cat, and they embrace that heritage fully. Cat sculptures and even a cat museum. Mark informs me that we’ll be going to the cat museum very soon. And maybe tomorrow, too.

And there’s lots of other stuff to do: cloud forests to hike in, kayaking, orangutans to spot – a real jungle of opportunities. On top of all that coolness, the weather is a wonderful change. It’s overcast, maybe even raining on and off, and not oppressively hot. After weeks of heat and sunshine, a little gloom is really nice.

The only sad note is that when Mark’s father and brother were planning their trip to Malaysia, flying into Singapore, we had a choice of going north up the peninsula or east to Borneo. We chose the former, but now it seems we’d have done better to come this way. Next time, John & Lidd!

It's a city of cats

It’s a city of cats

Cute cats

Cute cats

... And more cats

… And more cats

A great riverwalk on the Sarawak River

A great riverwalk on the Sarawak River

A city of cool bars (I particularly love the No Smoking sign in the background!)

A city of cool bars (I particularly love the No Smoking sign in the background!)

... And colorful, hip restaurants

… And colorful, hip restaurants

Not much to report these days. The biggest news is that Chinese New Years might actually be done. It started just as John & Lidd joined us in Singapore and was a problem through much of their visit as things were just closed up. Just as they were heading back home the multi-day celebration ended and we’re back to normal. Or whatever normal is in Malaysia, at any rate.

We left Penang three days ago on a boat bound for Langkawi, Malaysia’s premier island resort. And once we got here it’s been pretty much beaches and reading. And food, of course. Our hotel is over-priced and too big for our tastes, but is had two advantages: it’s right on the beach and it had rooms available. Since we had a pretty strong sense we just wanted to do not much, here we are. And being on the beach is a real advantage, since it’s really, really hot here. Pretty much unbearable when you’re off the beach at mid-day. But on the beach is pretty nice.

Lest you think we’re not productive, though, we are getting lots of reading done. I finished David McCollough’s history of the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday, Mark finished Anna Karenina this morning, and I read Room With a View today. Yesterday I ran five miles in under 40 minutes, the first time I’ve done that in many a year. There are eagles that fly over the beach, and I’m learning to deal with my anger when I see families on the beach. Not all families and not just any family. Specifically the Moslem families where he’s in shorts and T-shirt, the kids are frolicking, and she’s in a big black burka. It strikes me as so hostile, so demeaning. On the beach!

Other than that and a great Indian restaurant where they’ve quit laughing at us because we don’t eat naan or rice, not so much going on; it’s blissfully uneventful. Eventful starts in two days when we leave the beach and fly to Borneo. As we have both definitively retired, we’re hoping to avoid the headhunters.

When we got to the hotel here our room wasn't ready. So we had lunch, a glass of wine, and sat at the beach. Not unpleasant at all.

When we got to the hotel here our room wasn’t ready. So we had lunch, a glass of wine, and sat at the beach. Not unpleasant at all.

Mark doing his best at relaxing

Mark doing his best at relaxing

This is our view from the beach chairs in the morning

This is our view from the beach chairs in the morning

And this is the view from our beach chairs in the late afternoon. As I said, nothing to complain about.

And this is the view from our beach chairs in the late afternoon. As I said, nothing to complain about.

And a leftover picture from Penang. This was a sign at the Botanical Garden. Let's see, anything unusual? How about a frog with a telephone?!?

And a leftover picture from Penang. This was a sign at the Botanical Garden. Let’s see, anything unusual? How about a frog with a telephone?!?

We’re finishing up four days in Penang, and we’ve had a great time. This is supposed to be a highlight of Malaysia with a great mishmash of Chinese, Malay, and Indian cultures, and it’s all here. And of course you put all that together with and you’re likely to get some great food, which we’ve certainly enjoyed.

To our surprise, they are still celebrating Chinese New Year here. Last night, the ninth night of celebrations, there were huge fireworks displays around midnight. It felt as though they were going off pretty much right next to our hotel, and that might literally have been true. Today streets near our hotel are blocked off for more celebrations and we’re hearing all sorts of music and drums; we’re hoping to see a parade or two tonight. Fortunately, most things are open these days, so it’s not disruptive like it was a week ago.

One of the odd things we’ve observed about Malaysia is that in restaurants that rely on local Malays for an important part of their business, as opposed to just tourists or even Indians or Chinese, they don’t serve any alcohol or beer or wine at all. It’s not just that the Muslim locals wouldn’t drink it – apparently they would be offended to have it in their presence and so we can’t get it either. Strikes me as strange, and it must certainly make it harder for those restaurants to prosper. But then it got even stranger this afternoon when we observed that a Malaysian restaurant with great food we’ve been to twice for lunch doesn’t serve beer or wine but it does serve pork. Strange indeed.

Tomorrow Mark’s father and brother fly to Singapore to start their trip home, while Mark & I take a morning boat to the island of Langkawi, Malaysia’s most famous beach and tourist destination. This life of ours is exhausting, so we’re looking forward to relaxing on the beach for five days. đŸ™‚

So without further ado, here are some great pictures of our time in Penang, courtesy of John Sullivan.

One of the most remarkable aspects of George Town (the city we're staying in, on the island of Penang) is the murals painted on exterior walls. Some of them - like this one - are really beautiful.

One of the most remarkable aspects of George Town (the city we’re staying in, on the island of Penang) is the murals painted on exterior walls. Some of them – like this one – are really beautiful.

This is another. There was a lot of public art in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is another. There was a lot of public art in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Street life in George Town

Street life in George Town

There were a lot of fun signs here. We particularly loved the icon attached with the last rule.

There were a lot of fun signs here. We particularly loved the icon attached with the last rule.

I loved this one. If you're 10, you can only stay at the bar until 6:00, but if you're 13 midnight is fine!

I loved this one. If you’re 10, you can only stay at the bar until 6:00, but if you’re 13 midnight is fine!

Mark's dad in the lobby area of our hotel. We *loved* the hotel - our rooms were on two floors with tons of wooden Malay furniture and great staff. Can't say enough about how much we loved the hotel!

Mark’s dad in the lobby area of our hotel. We *loved* the hotel – our rooms were on two floors with tons of wooden Malay furniture and great staff. Can’t say enough about how much we loved the hotel!

One of the highlights was a hike through what is billed as the world's smallest national park. It was a real walk in the jungle.

One of the highlights was a hike through what is billed as the world’s smallest national park. It was a real walk in the jungle.

A walk that ended on a beautiful beach, so there I was with my Kindle. Unfortunately the water was heavily infested with jellyfish and closed to swimming, but reading on the beach is still good.

A walk that ended on a beautiful beach, so there I was with my Kindle. Unfortunately the water was heavily infested with jellyfish and closed to swimming, but reading on the beach is still good.

And then there was the walk through a spice garden

And then there was the walk through a spice garden

Mark & his brother John in a Buddhist temple

Mark & his brother John in a Buddhist temple

I loved this abandoned building with trees growing out of it

I loved this abandoned building with trees growing out of it